Key action for typewriting and other key-operating machines



Jan. 1', 1929. 1,697,417

0. U. DESHA KEY ACTION FOR TYPEWRITING ANDOTHER KEY OPERATING MACHINES Filed March 24, 1927 2 Sheets$heet 1.v

lllliillllllllll Jan. 1, 1929. 1,e97,417

O. U. DESHA K-EY ACTION FOR TYPEWRITING AND OTHER KEY OPERATING MACHINES Filed March 24, 1927 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 1, 1929;

:ORVILLE U. DESI-IA, ,OF FORT COLLINS, COLORADO.

KEY ACTION FOR TYPEWBITING AND OTHER KEY-OPERATENG MACHINES.

Application filed March 24., 1927. Serial No. 178,089

My invention relates to improvement in key-action for typewriters and other type bar and key operating machines, actu ating means at all times operatively connecting the type bar and key lever, moving the type .bar to printing point upon the depression ofthe key lever and means reversely breaking the said connection after the printing impact of the type bar for the return of. the type bar to normal position while the key lever is in depressed position, this broad object being the subject matter of an application filed by me on November th, 1923, Serial No. 672,871, upon which Patent 1,643,203issued September 29, 1927, as a contradistinction between previous devices comprising a detachable conneotion or gap at some po1nt between the key lever and type bar after the latter has been given the movement necessary toeiiect the printing and before the key lever has completed its movement.

The specific object of the present invention is to provide improved means of the character specified above whereby the reverselybreaking actuating connection between the key lever and the type bar comprises two thrust links as a contradistinction between a reversely breaking actuatingcoupling comprising a thrust link and a draw link. i

The desired principle of operatiomnew mechanical functions, operative expedients,

and other objects and advantages will, here inafter be described in the followingdisclosure and will be more particularly pointed out in the pending claims. panying drawings, like referencevcharacters indicate corresponding parts in .the various views.

In the drawings, Fig. I, is a vertical section of a typewriting machine, one key-action only being shown in normal position ;Fig. 11 represents a view of the key mechanism similar to Fig. I, the key lever being shown ina depressed position and responding typebar. Fig. 111 also is akey mechanismsimilar .to Fig. I, the key lever being shown in adspressed position and the type bar being returned toits initial position. Fig. IVlis-a skeleton view of the key-mechanism'for illustrative purposes in describing themode of operation of the machine shown. It is understood, of course, that for clearness and to avoid complication of drawings theapp-lt cant has omitted to show or describc'tlie remainder or" key levers and type bars as well In the accomas other devices necessary or, advisable in the complete machine.

In the embodimentFig. I, 1 indicatesthe frame of the typewriter, 1 indicating the frontv and 1" the rear, having a power driven paper carriage, the principal parts ,otthe carriagenot being shown in the drawings ,5 indicates a common platen carried'by paper carriage 6 indicates one of the usual type. bars carrying type 7 at itsfront end, and arranged to turn on pivot,9 in the form ofga segmcntdisposed vertically, above the frame 10, Fig. I, and providing thetype 7 with a common printing point A, as the'type'bar 6 turns on pivot 9 from the normal horizontal position of rest on the segmental bed 11 ;il2.indicates one of the key levers ca.r,rying.,-at the front end finger key; 13,, and pivoted at 14 intermcdiately of its endto bar 14* Fig.1, and is kept normally in its elevated'position by return spring 15 supportedlby dependingarm 15. of key lever. 12 and bar 15 abnormal rest the'key lever bearing against theunder side of stop bar 15?Fig- Labove the gfrontpart of the key lever 12.

The key lever 12 is described as having two incidents of operationynamely, ,the incident of depressionflandincident of release. 'tThe incident or" depression-is dis-i closed by 'the downward movement-40fkey; leverjfrom radius" B to radius C, and the in cident of .release is disclosedby theiupwa'rd movement of key lever 12 back fromradius C to radius B. The type bar(iisdescribedas hav ng'two incidents -ofoperation; namely, the incident of response and the incident of release. :The incident-of, response' of type bar 6 is disclosedbyithe novement of; the type bar from its initial restradius E toprinth ingfpoint A, indicated byradiusgF forming arc G from pivot 9. The incident of recoil of'typebarzti is;disclosed by its movement from its printing,- point A. (back, to normal rest E. These incidents of operationare, oi course,-pr esent in previous non-reverscly breaking type bar action in so ;-far as the'inbreaking action by which the incident of response E to A of the type bar and incident of recoil A to E, occurs during the one incident of depression B to C, of the key lever.

18 indicates one of a series of vibratory levers disposed upwardly corresponding in number with type bar 6 and key lever 12.

mediately of its ends to the rear end of key lever, and 23 being, also, a thrust link but hereinafter referred to as a trip link supported by pivot intermediately the ends of the vibratory lever 18 and pivot 26, at all times operatively connecting the thrust link 22 and vibratory lever 18, actuatingthe lat ter backwardly.

The thrust link 22 is provided with an angle'stop 22 at its lower end. Upon depression of the key lever 12, the thrust link 22 is moved bodily upward by the rear end of the key lever 12 and vibrates backwardly 7 until the angle stop 22 contacts with the under edge 12" of the key lever 12 Fig. II. At this stage of operation, the backward vibration of the thrust link 22 being limited, the

element moves concurrently upward with the movement of the rear end of the key lever v12, hence the key lever 12 and thrust link 22 acts as a fulcrum to trip link 23 upwardly about the time the type 7 impacts the printing point A breaking reversely said coupling at pivot 26 while the key lever is in depressed position.

'As the type bar 6 turns on the segmental pivot 9, pivot 21 moves backward and downward causing the flexile link 21 to contact with a segmental fulcrum return rod 27 the momentum of the type bar 6 from E to A causing the flexile'link 21, Fig. II, bow upward. The vertex of the curve, 21 Fig. II, of the flexile link 21 is completed about the time the elements 22 and 23 reversely break at pivot 26, and the energy thus stored in the flexile link 21 assists gravity in returning the type'bar 6 and vibratory lever 18 to normal position as shown in Fig. III while key lever 12 continues its downward incident 7 of depression from D to C until it is stopped by the stop bar 28.

'Means restoring said elements 22 and23 to normal operative position upon release of the key lever comprises a coil spring 29, one end thereof supported at 29 by the depending arm 15 of the key lever 12 and one end of said spring supported at 29 by the forward end of the thrust link 22. The normal operative position of elements 22 and 23 is determined by a cushion rod 30, the ends thereof secured at either side of the machine. Under the influence of spring 29, pivotal point 26 communicates with the forward part of cushion rod 30 limiting the backward movement of elements 22'and 23 until the key lever 12 is depressed. The normal position of the vibratory lever 1.8 is determined by its forward edge18 communicating with the rear part of the cushion rod 30the cushion rod 30 effects smooth and quiet operation of the key mechanism.

The mechanical movements and operation thereof are important factors in providing the function for the improved key action. A further description of opera ti ve principles therefore follows: The geometric circle H H Fig. IV, with a diametrical line J J, from the forward border pivot 24 to the backward border pivot 25 indicates the divert tension line dividing the actuating plane into a lower Zone of response K and an upper zone of reaction L; the lower zone of response K having to do with the response of the type bar 6 from radius E to radius F as the key lever 12is being depressed from radius B to radius D; and the upper zone of reaction L having to do with the recoil of the type bar from the printing point A to radius ID at rest asthe key lever 12 is being continually depressed from radius D to radius (I of depression. Pivot 26 being the center of the actuating plane,"the normal operative position of the thrust link 22 is in the forward radii .of the actuating plane as shown in Figs. I, IV, and the normal operative position of trip link 23 is the backward radii of the actuating plane. By change in relative positions of the forward border pivot 24 and the backward border pivot 25, interior pivot 26 is brought upward within the upward zone of reaction L, the interior pivot 26 oscillating between the forward pivot 24 and backward border pivot 25 in crossing and recrossing the divert ten sion lineJ J. In this case, the elements 22 and 23 of the reversely breaking actuating coupling are subjected to unfoldment at the interior pivot 26 during the incident of depression from radius B to radius D of the key lever 12 simultaneously with the incident of response of thetype bar 6 from radius E to printing point A; and the elements 22 and 23 are subjected to foldment atthe interior pivot 26 the remainder of depression, radius I) to radius C of key lever 12 simultaneously with the recoil of the type bar 6 from printing point A back to radiusE.

The dotted line M M indicates the correlative relationship of the border pivots 24 and 25 and the interior pivot 26 during the process of operation, viz: Dotted line M M Fig. I, shows where the t-ri-pivotal relationship of pivots 2st, 25 and 26 causes elements 22 and 23 of the reversely breakingactuating couliltipling to form obtuseangle at the interior pivot 26' pointing upward within the lower zone of response during the normal posit-ion and-effecting response of the type bar during the depression of the key lever 12. Dotted line M M Fig. ll, shows about a lo-degrce ali ment of the border pivots 24L and 25. and in terior pivot 26 of the reversely breaking actuating coupling forming straight angle of elements 22 and 23 at the time the type bar completes its response or impact and begins to recoil. Dotted line h M Fig. Ill, shows an obtuse angle of said elements 22 and 23 at the interior pivot 26 formed by the tri-pivotal relationship pointing upward within the zone of reaction L as the type bar 6' recoils while key lever is in depressed position.

It should be understood that the present improvement is capable of a large range of modification within the scope of the invention and that the improvement is not restricted to use in amachine of the type named, but may be employed wherever found available. Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvement may be used without others.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a. typewritiug machine, a type bar, a vibratory lever pivoted at its lower end, means opera tively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprising afieaile pull link, a key lever pivoted intermediately of its ends, actuating means at all times operatively connecting the key lever and vibratory lever to move the type bar to the printing point upon the depression of the key lever, means actuating said connection to return the type bar after the printing impact While the key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said connection to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

2. In a. typewrit-ing machine, a type bar, a vibratory lever in the rear of the machine pivoted at'its lower end, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprising a fleXile pull link, a key lever pivoted intermediat-ely of its ends, actuating means at all times operatively connecting the vibratory lever and key lever comprising areversely breaking actuating coupling for moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, means reversely breaking said coupling after the printing impact to return the type bar to normal position while the key lever is indepressed position, means restoring said coupling to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

3. In a. type key action, a type bar, vibratory lever pivoted at its lower end, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprising a fieXile pull link, a key lever pivoted intcrmediately of its ends,

actuating means operatively connecting the ing said coupling after the printing impact oi the type bar,-means restoring the folded elements of said coupling to normally untoldment npon the release of the key lever.

l. In typewriting machine, a typebar, a

vibratory lever pivoted at its lower end, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprising a. flexile pull link, a key lever pivot d interniedlately of i ends, a reversely breaking actuating coupnngoperati vcly connecting the vibratory lever and key lever comprising two thrust links moving the type bar to printing point upon de pressionof the k lever, means reversely breaking said cou bar :ror returning the type bar to normal position while key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said coupling to normal operative position, upon release of the key lever.

5. In a typewritin machine, a type bar, a vibratory lever pivoted at its lower end disposed vertically and its upper end thereof vibrating baclnvardly, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar eoinprising a tl-exile pull link, a key lever pivoted intermediately of its ends, a reversely breaking actuating coupling opera.- tively connecting the vibratory lever and key lever moving the type bar to the printing point upon depression of the key lever, means reverseiy breaking said coupling alter printing impact of the type bar for returning the type bar to normal position while the key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said coupling to normal operative position upon release oi the key lever.

6. In a type key action, a type bar, a vibra tory lever pivoted at its lower end, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprising a fl-cxile pull link, a key lever pivoted intermediately of its ends, a reversely breaking actuating coupling operatively connecting the key lever and vibratory lever comprising a trip link, and a thrust link pivoted intermediately of its ends to the rear end of the key lever l or moving the type bar to the printing point upon de pression oithe key lever, means reversely breaking said coupling after printing imalter printing impact of the type,

pact oii the type bar, means returning the link, actuating means at all times operatively connecting the vibratory lever and key lever comprising a thrust link, and a trip link connecting the thrust link and vibratory lever actuating the latter by backward thrust for moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, means reversely breaking said coupling after printing impact of the type bar for returning the type bar to normal position while the key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said cou pling to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

8. In a type key mechanism, a type bar, a vibratory lever pivoted at its lower end, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprising a flexile pull link, a key lever pivoted intermediately of its ends, a reversely breaking actuating coupling operatively connecting the key lever and vibratory lever comprising a trip link and a thrust link, a border'pivot connecting the rear end of the trip link and vibratory lever, a forward border pivot connecting the key lever and thrust link, an interior pivot below a line drawn through the border pivots con necting the thrust link and trip link for moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, means actuating the interior pivot upward across a divert tension line between the torward border pivot and the backward border pivot reversely breaking said coupling after printing impact of the type bar for returning the type bar to normal position while the key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said couling to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

9. In a type key action, a type bar, a vibratory lever pivoted at its lower end, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprising a flexile pull link, a key lever pivoted intermediately of its ends, a reversely breaking actuating coupling operatively connecting the key lever and vibratory lever comprising a thrust link and a trip link, a backward border pivot connecting the thrust link and vibratory lever, a forward boroer pivot connecting the key lever and trip link, an interior pivot below a reversely breaking line drawn through the border pivots operatively connecting the thrust link and trip link for moving the type bar to printing point upon'depression of the key lever, means actuating said thrust link and trip link moving the interior pivot above said reverscly breaking line drawn through said border pivots for reversely breaking said mechanism after printing impact of the type bar for returning the type bar to normal position while the key lever is in depressed position, means actuating said trip link and thrust link restoring said interior pivot to normal operative position below said reversely breaking line drawn through said border pivots upon release of the key lever.

10. In a typewriting machine, a type bar, a vibratory lever pivoted at its lower end, means-operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar comprising a flexile pull link, a key lever pivoted intermediately of its ends, a reversely breaking actuating coupling operatively connecting the key lever and vibratory lever comprising a trip link and a thrust link moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, an angle stop at the lower edge of the thrust link communicating with the lower edge of the .key lever revcrsely breaking said coupling after printing impact of the type bar for returning the latter to normal position while the key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said coupling to normal operative position upon the release of the key lever.

11. In a typewriting machine, a type bar, a vibratory lever, means operatively connect ing the vibratory lever and type bar comprising a flexile pull link, a key lever, a reversely breaking actuating coupling operatively connecting the key lever and vibratory lever, a fulcrum return rod communicating with the fiexile draw link causing the latter to bow upwardly by momentum of the type ba-rmoving to printing point upon depression of the key lever, the fleXile draw link resuming its straight tendency returning the type bar to normal position while key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said coupling to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

12. In a recoil mechanism for a type key, a type bar, a vibratory lever, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar, a key lever pivoted intermediately of its ends, a depending arm intermediately the ends of said key lever, a reversely breaking actuating coupling operatively connecting the key lever and vibratory lever moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, means reversely breaking said coupling after the printing impact of the type bar returning the type bar to normal position while key lever is in de pressed position, a return spring disposed horizontallythe movable end thereof supported by said depending arm of the key lever restoring the latter to normal operative position upon its release.

13. In a type key mechanism and action, a type bar, a vibratory lever, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar, a key lever pivoted intermediately of its ends, a depending arm depending beneath the pivotal point of said key lever, a

reversely breaking actuating coupling operatively connecting the key lever and vibratory lever comprising a. trip link and a thrust link moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, means reversely breaking said connection after the printing impact of the type bar for returning the type bar to normal position While key lever is in depressed position, a coil-spring supported by said depending arm of the key lever and thrust link restoring said coupling to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

14. In a key action for a key-operating machine, a type bar, a vibratory lever, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and type bar, a key lever, a reversely breaking actuating coupling operatively connecting the key lever and vibratory lever moving the type bar to printing point 11 on depression of key lever, means reverse y breaking With the forward edge of the vibratory lever 4 and communicating With the lower edge of said coupling to effect smooth and quiet operation of said elements and determine their normal position after operation.

Signed at Fort Collins, in the county of La-rimer and State of Colorado, this 19th day of March, A. D. 1927.

ORVILLE U. DESHA. 

